Nowruz, the Iranian (or Persian) New Year, means “new day” in Farsi. It’s humankind’s most ancient celebration; Nowruz is approximately 4000 years old, older than Easter, Holi, or Ramadan. Food plays an important role in this holiday because of the fresh, green ingredients that begin to peek out of the ground in Persia, signaling winter’s end. This kuku sabzi is an herbed omelet that’s perfect for the traditional midday family gatherings typical of Nowruz. It would make a wonderful brunch entrée any time of the year.
What Do People Eat for Nowruz?
In addition to kuku sabzi, other popular recipes shared with TABLE readers by Chef Palak Patel include; ghormeh sabzi – a lamb and kidney bean stew; ash-e-reshteh, Persian New Year’s soup with beans, noodles, and herbs; Persian jeweled rice; and whole-roasted whitefish with a tangy tamarind sauce served on a bed of green lentils. Nowruz is also a popular time to eat sabzi khordan, an herb platter including mint, basil, and Persian cress. Nowruz is 13 days long, and families typically have huge picnics on the final day where they eat dishes like this one.
Kuku Sabzi for Nowruz
Description
A delicious meal to celebrate the new year!
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 large shallots, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 medium leek, white and pale-green parts only, finely chopped
- 8 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ cup tarragon leaves
- 1 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1 cup finely chopped dill
- 1 cup finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a 10″ skillet over medium. Cook shallot, garlic, and leek, stirring occasionally, until very soft but not brown, 10–12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Wipeout skillet; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs, kosher salt, baking powder, black pepper, turmeric, and crushed red pepper. Gently fold in cooled shallot mixture, add herbs: cilantro, dill, tarragon, and parsley.
- Turn broiler on to high and adjust the rack to top.
- In a large skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium. Carefully pour in egg mixture; spread evenly across the pan with a spatula. Using a lid to cover and cook the frittata until it is set on the sides and the bottom, approximately, 8–10 minutes. Remove the lid and place under broil, until the top is set, setting oven timer to 1 minute.
- Once it’s cooled slightly and easy to handle, use a large and invert onto a large serving plate.
Recipe by Palak Patel
Styling by Ana Kelly
Photography by Adam Milliron
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